Thursday, 25 February 2021

GULLS GEAR UP FOR THE TROPHY LAST EIGHT

After returning to winning ways against Solihull Moors on Tuesday night, Torquay United's attentions now switch to the FA Trophy as they head to Woking in the FA Trophy quarter finals. 

Since United were relegated from the Football League for a second time in 2014 they have faced the Cards 15 times across two different leagues - the National League and the National League South - and the FA Cup. Those games have served up plenty of goal fests - including a 3-3 draw at Kingfield in front of a crowd of 4,5000, which helped the Gulls to all but seal the 2018-19 National League South title - and a number of red cards. If you want drama then encounters between Torquay and Woking have served up as much tension as the likes of Line of Duty and Game of Thrones. 

Both sides have previous in the FA Trophy; the Cards have won the competitions three times (1994, 1995 and 1997) and the Gulls have been runners-up (2008). United manager Gary Johnson has also won the FA Trophy during his time as Yeovil Town manager (2002), shortly before he led the Glovers into the Football League.

With the Gulls still top of the National League - the non-league 'double' of the National League title and the FA Trophy is still on for Johnson's men. It's a feat that hasn't occured since Wycombe Wanderers won the Conference title and FA Trophy in the 1992-93 season under the management of Martin O'Neill, before he went on to enjoy his illustrious career with Norwich City, Leicester City, Glasgow Celtic, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest as well as the Republic of Ireland national team. 

If United and Johnson could emulate that achievement in the 2020-21 campaign - it would surely rank as one of the biggest success stories in the history of non-league football, especially on the back of the Gulls' National League South title triumph in 2019.

FA Trophy quarter finals: 

Notts County vs Oxford City

Darlington vs Hornchurch

Aldershot Town vs Hereford FC

Woking vs Torquay United